Earlier this month, Sega and Atlus teased that there's more story to tell in the world of Persona 5. They teased a worldwide release for Persona 5: The Phantom X, an original continuation of the original story. As a mobile title that first released in China, there are naturally some questions as to how it works. Shacknews recently ventured out to Sega's North American HQ in Irvine, CA to pick the game up and learn more. Persona 5: The Phantom X begins its story from a familiar perspective. Players pick up the role of Joker conducting a heist at an upscale nightclub. The job soon goes south and Joker finds himself at the end of a gun held by a mysterious figure. This mysterious figure turns out to be The Phantom X's new protagonist, who was dreaming the whole thing. This shifts into a formula that Persona 5 players may recognize. The protagonist attends school, meets various characters, has conversations and engages in schooltime activities, and then by night (in-between stops at the Velvet Room) dives into the Metaverse realm to try and save the people whose hope was stolen. While our time with the game was limited, the formula felt mostly similar to the original Persona 5. Prior to jumping into the Metaverse, the protagonist meets his partner, an owl named Lufel. Lufel provides valuable exposition and brings his own might to the game's turn-based battles, using his own abilities and his Persona named Robroy. Lufel stays mostly hidden while the protagonist runs through his daytime activities, but will act as a guide through the Metaverse portion of the game. Battles will unfold mostly in Persona 5-style fashion, as players will frequently run into Shadow creatures and massive boss characters that fit the typical Atlus mold, like the giant head with ball-and-chains for eyeballs. There wasn't enough time for me to fully form a party, but the game will allow for the protagonist to fight with three other companions, each with their own attacks and supporting abilities. Ultimately, the idea is to set up a finishing blow from a powerful Persona, which can be awakened over the course of a battle. In addition to missions through the Metaverse and heists that seek to retrieve people's lost hope, a big part of The Phantom X experience will involve what goes down during school hours. Players will be able to take part in several activities, such as a rhythm game section where the protagonist joins a band, practicing with the school soccer team, and even picking up an after-school job. All of this helps shape the main character's personal narrative and affects his relationships with various characters. While The Phantom X contains a full Persona 5 story, it's important to note that this is a free-to-play title, which is naturally going to raise some eyebrows. Indeed, there are microtransactions and gacha mechanics at work, though there wasn't quite enough time for me to explore this aspect of the game in my time at Sega. For what it's worth, Atlus is noting that progression across the main story will not be hindered or blocked if the player chooses to experience the whole thing without spending money. Real money purchases are aimed more at score chasers looking to get more out of The Phantom X's endgame. Whether this ultimately proves to be true remains to be seen, but it was noted that the game's economy is being adjusted to fit the move from China to North America and Japan. The wait for Persona 5: The Phantom X won't be a long one. It's set to release on PC, iOS, and Android on Thursday, June 26 as a free-to-play game. This preview is based on an early PC build played on-site at Sega of America's North America Headquarters in Irvine, CA. The final product is subject to change.